Bagging system, shopping assistance system, and control method and non-transitory storage medium of the bagging system

ABSTRACT

A bagging system includes a bagging mechanism, a switching unit, and a controller. The bagging mechanism is configured to perform bagging to put an item placed in a bagging space into a bag. The switching unit is configured to switch at least one of performing or not performing of the bagging or a type of the bag adopted for the bagging. The controller is configured to control the switching unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is based upon and claims the benefit of priorityof Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-51685, filed on Mar. 19, 2018,the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to bagging systems, shoppingassistance systems, and control methods and non-transitory storage mediaof the bagging systems. The present disclosure specifically relates to abagging system configured to put one or more items into a bag, ashopping assistance system, and a control method and a non-transitorystorage medium of the bagging system.

BACKGROUND ART

Document 1 (JP2014-15229A) describes a packing machine including a bagstorage which stores a plurality of bags made of a resin material in astacked manner, a taking-out means configured to adhere to the bag, areciprocating means on which the taking-out means is disposed, anopening means configured to open an upper portion of the bag, and asupply chute. The supply chute is configured to guide an item (desiredcomponent) into the bag which is opened.

In the packing machine described in Document 1, the bag is formed byfolding a thin sheet to have a rectangular shape and thermally welding abottom and sides of the rectangular shape with only one side open. Thebag storage has a U-shape and is disposed such that an opening sectionof the U-shape faces upward. The bag storage having the U-shape has abottom in which a through hole is formed. The through hole has an areaslightly smaller than the rectangular area of the bag. The taking-outmeans is configured to insert a suction cup through the through hole sothat the suction cap comes into contact with a center portion of the bagat the bottom of the bag storage, and thereby the suction cup adheres tothe bag. The taking-out means moves the suction cup adhering to the bagbackward to takeout the bag through the through hole from the bagstorage and conveys the bag taken out to the opening means.

According to the configuration described in Document 1, however, aplurality of (a large number of) bags are simply stacked in the bagstorage, and therefore, all items are uniformly bagged in the samemanner, and unlike, for example, a case where bagging is performed by aperson, it is not possible to adopt flexible processing.

SUMMARY

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention toprovide a bagging system configured to adopt flexible processing interms of bagging, a shopping assistance system, and a control method anda non-transitory storage medium of the bagging system.

A bagging system according to one aspect of the present disclosureincludes a bagging mechanism, a switching unit, and a controller. Thebagging mechanism is configured to perform bagging to put one or moreitems placed in a bagging space into a bag. The switching unit isconfigured to switch between performing and not performing the baggingand/or switching between types of bag for the bagging. The controller isconfigured to control the switching unit.

A shopping assistance system according to one aspect of the presentdisclosure includes the bagging system and a sales system configured toperform a checkout process of the one or more items.

A control method of a bagging system according to one aspect of thepresent disclosure is a control method of a bagging system including abagging mechanism. The bagging mechanism is configured to performbagging to put one or more items placed in a bagging space into a bag.The control method includes switching between performing and notperforming the bagging and/or switching between types of bag for thebagging.

A non-transitory storage medium according to one aspect of the presentdisclosure is a non-transitory storage medium in which a program isrecorded. The program causes a computer system to execute the controlmethod of the bagging system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a shopping assistance systemaccording to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an exterior perspective view illustrating a counter desk towhich the shopping assistance system is applied;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a main part of abagging system according to the one embodiment;

FIG. 4A is a view schematically illustrating a basic operation of abagging mechanism in the bagging system;

FIG. 4B is a view schematically illustrating the basic operation of thebagging mechanism in the bagging system;

FIG. 4C is a view schematically illustrating the basic operation of thebagging mechanism in the bagging system;

FIG. 5A is a view schematically illustrating the basic operation of thebagging mechanism in the bagging system;

FIG. 5B is a view schematically illustrating the basic operation of thebagging mechanism in the bagging system;

FIG. 5C is a view schematically illustrating the basic operation of thebagging mechanism in the bagging system;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the bagging system;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an operation according to anautomatic bag determining process of the bagging system;

FIG. 8A is an exterior perspective view illustrating a main part of thebagging system in a case where a customer purchases items by using abasket device;

FIG. 8B is an exterior perspective view of the main part of the baggingsystem in a case where a customer purchases an item without using thebasket device;

FIG. 9A is a view schematically illustrating the bagging system in acase where a customer purchases items by using a basket device; and

FIG. 9B is a view schematically illustrating the bagging system in acase where a customer purchases an item without using the basket device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION (1) Schema

As illustrated in FIG. 2, a bagging system 1 according to the presentembodiment is a system configured to perform “bagging” to put one ormore items 8 (in FIG. 4A, three items 8) placed in a bagging space 700into a bag 10 (see FIG. 4A). In the present disclosure, “bag” may referto any bag as long as it has a dimension allowing one or more items 8 tobe put in and having a bag opening through which the one or more items 8are put in or taken out. In the present disclosure, “bagging space”refers to a space which allows one or more items 8 as targets to bebagged to be placed in. That is, the bagging system 1 according to thepresent embodiment defines the one or more items 8, which are placed ina place defined as the bagging space 700, as targets to be bagged, andthe bagging system 1 performs bagging of the one or more items 8. Inthis embodiment, the one or more items 8 may be directly placed in thebagging space 700, or, for example, when the one or more items 8 are putin a container such as a basket device 2, the container (e.g., thebasket device 2), in which the one or more items 8 have been put, may beplaced in the bagging space 700.

The present embodiment describes an example in which the bagging system1 is introduced into, for example, a retail store such as a conveniencestore, a supermarket, a department store, a drugstore, an electronicsretail store, or a home center (hardware store), and the bagging system1 performs bagging of one or more items 8 to be purchased by a customer.In this example, the bag 10 is a bag made of polyethylene orpolypropylene and is a so-called shopping bag (or plastic shopping bag).

Moreover, in the present embodiment, the “bagging” performed by thebagging system 1 includes an operation of moving the one or more items 8in the basket device 2 from the basket device 2 into the bag 10, inother words, an operation of transferring the one or more items 8 fromthe basket device 2 into the bag 10. That is, when only one or moreitems 8 are directly placed in the bagging space 700, the bagging system1 puts the one or more items 8 into the bag 10, thereby performing the“bagging”. Alternatively, when one or more items 8 are put in the basketdevice 2, and then the basket device 2, in which the one or more items 8have been put, is placed in the bagging space 700, the bagging system 1moves the one or more items 8 in the basket device 2 from the basketdevice 2 into the bag 10, thereby performing the “bagging”. In thepresent embodiment, the basket device 2 is, for example, a shoppingbasket.

In the present embodiment, the bagging system 1, together with a salessystem 4, forms a shopping assistance system 100 for assisting customersin shopping in stores. In other words, the shopping assistance system100 includes the bagging system 1 and the sales system 4. The salessystem 4 is a system configured to perform a sales process of one ormore items 8. As used herein, a “sales process” refers to variousprocesses required for actions (sales and purchase) of transferring theownership of an item 8 from a seller (store) to a buyer (customer) andpaying the seller the consideration (charge) for the item 8 by thebuyer. The sales process includes, for example, an acquisition process,an order process, and the like. The acquisition process is a process ofacquiring respective item information on one or more items 8 picked upby a customer in a store. The order process is a process of receiving,from a customer, an order for one or more items 8 which the customerwishes to buy. In the shopping assistance system 100, “goods” sold in astore exemplify a plurality of items, from which one or more “items 8”are picked up by a customer to be bagged by the bagging system 1.

The bagging system 1 includes a bagging mechanism 3 configured toperform “bagging” to put the one or more items 8 placed in the baggingspace 700 into the bag 10. The bagging system 1 is installed in, forexample, a checkout counter in a store, and the bagging mechanism 3puts, into the bag 10, the one or more items 8 directly placed in thebagging space 700 or the one or more items 8 placed in the bagging space700 with the one or more items 8 being in the basket device 2. In thisway, the bagging of the one or more items 8 is performed. This allowscustomers to get the one or more items 8 put in the bag 10 by justplacing the one or more items 8 to be purchased in the bagging space700. It is therefore possible for customers or store employees (clerks)to save labor and time needed for the bagging.

In this embodiment, the bagging system 1 according to the presentembodiment further includes a switching unit 11 and a controller 12 inaddition to the bagging mechanism 3. The switching unit 11 is configuredto switch between performing and not performing the bagging and/orswitching between types of bag 10 for the bagging. The controller 12 isconfigured to control the switching unit 11. In the present disclosure,“types” of bag 10 include, for example, the size (dimension), shape,color, material, and indication of the bag 10. Examples of the “shape”of the bag 10 include the presence or absence of a “gusset” for securingthe width of a bottom 102 of the bag 10. Examples of the “indication” ofthe bag 10 include an advertisement for promotion by characters orpattern design printed on a surface of the bag 10.

That is, according to the bagging system 1 of the present embodiment,the controller 12 controls the switching unit 11, and thereby, it ispossible to switch between performing and not performing the baggingand/or switch between the types of bag 10 for the bagging. The baggingsystem 1 switches between performing and not performing the bagging inaccordance with, for example, items 8, and it is thus possible to bagonly one or more items 8 which have to be bugged, and it is possible toadopt flexible processing as in a case where the bagging is performed bya person. Moreover, the bagging system 1 switches the types of bag 10for the bagging in accordance with, for example, items 8, and it is thuspossible to perform the bagging by adopting a bag 10 having a sizesuitable for the volume of one or more items 8, and it is possible toadopt flexible processing as in a case where the bagging is performed bya person. Thus, according to the bagging system 1, the bagging mechanism3 automates the bagging while it is possible to adopt flexibleprocessing concerning the bagging as in a case where the bagging isperformed by a person (a customer or employee in a store).

(2) Details

The bagging system 1 according to the present embodiment and a shoppingassistance system 100 including the bagging system 1 will be describedin detail below. In the present embodiment, a convenience store isexemplified as a store which the shopping assistance system 100 isintroduced into. That is, a “user” mentioned in the present embodimentrefers to a customer of a convenience store or an employee (clerk) of aconvenience store.

(2.1) Shopping Assistance System

Herein, the overall structure of the shopping assistance system 100according to the present embodiment will be first explained. Asillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the shopping assistance system 100includes the bagging system 1, the basket device 2, the sales system 4,and a checkout system 5. Note that it is not essential that the basketdevice 2 and the checkout system 5 are included in components of theshopping assistance system 100. The basket device 2 will be explained in“(2.2) Basket Device” which will be described later in detail. Thebagging system 1 will be explained in “(2.3) Bagging System” which willbe described later in detail.

The sales system 4 is a system configured to directly or indirectlycommunicate with the basket device 2 to perform a sales process of oneor more items 8 put in the basket device 2. The sales system 4 includesa management device 41, a user interface 42, a detection device 43, anda special reading device 44. Each of the user interface 42, thedetection device 43, and the special reading device 44 is a peripheraldevice of the management device 41 and is connected to the managementdevice 41.

The management device 41 communicates with the basket device 2 toreceive one or more pieces of item information (which will be describedlater) transmitted from the basket device 2. Moreover, the managementdevice 41 is connected to the checkout system 5 which performs acheckout process. Moreover, the management device 41 is configured tocommunicate with a store terminal including, for example, a point ofsales (POS) terminal. Based on the one or more pieces of iteminformation received from the basket device 2, the management device 41executes a predetermined process such as a transmission process oftransmitting information to the checkout system 5. The information isrequired for the checkout process by the checkout system 5.

Moreover, the management device 41 also communicates with the baggingsystem 1 and a portable terminal 6 to be able to control the baggingsystem 1 and the portable terminal 6. Thus, the management device 41 isconfigured to control the bagging system 1 such that the sales system 4and the bagging system 1 operate in an interlocked manner with eachother. In the present embodiment, the management device 41 controls thebagging system 1 in an interlocked manner with the sales system 4 sothat bagging of the one or more items 8 is performed while a customerperforms the checkout process or the like by the checkout system 5. Forexample, the bagging system 1 starts the bagging of the one or moreitems 8 when the checkout process by the checkout system 5 is started.Note that the bagging system 1 does not always perform the bagging butmay perform an operation “not performing the bagging” that the baggingis not performed, which will be described later.

The checkout system 5 includes a computer system as a main component anda peripheral devices such as a cash unit configured to accept anddispense cash. The checkout system 5 is configured to cause a processorof the computer system to execute a program stored in memory of thecomputer system, thereby performing the checkout process such ascalculation of a checkout amount based on the one or more pieces of iteminformation received from the sales system 4. The checkout system 5includes a card reader and a printer configured to issue a receipt. Thecard reader is configured to read, for example, credit card informationand electronic money card information for payment, mobile phone terminalinformation, member's card information, and loyalty card information.Information such as, for example, detailed statement, checkout amount,purchase date and time is described in the receipt.

In the present embodiment, the checkout system 5 stores price datacorresponding to each of a plurality of pieces of item information. Inaddition, the checkout system 5, the store server, or the center servermay store: an information set such as advertisement information,discount information, producer information and recipe information,corresponding to each of the plurality of pieces of item information;and information such as gender, age, favorite and past purchase history,corresponding to each of pieces of customer information. Moreover, datasuch as the size and the weight of each of the plurality of items 8 isalso stored in the checkout system 5 together with the price data. Theinformation set, which is not stored in the sales system 4, is availableto the sales system 4 as a result of the sales system 4 communicatingwith the checkout system 5, the store server, or the center server.

The user interface 42 includes a display 421 and an operation section422. The display 421 is a device configured to display various kinds ofinformation to customers. The operation section 422 is a deviceconfigured to receive an operation by customers. In the presentembodiment, a touch panel display functions as the display 421 and theoperation section 422. That is, the shopping assistance system 100according to the present embodiment adopts a touch panel display as theuser interface 42, and the touch panel display displays information tocustomers and receives an operation by customers. Thus, when detectingan operation (e.g., tapping, swiping, or dragging) of an object such asa button on a screen displayed on the touch panel display, the operationsection 422 determines that the object such as a button is operated.Note that the operation section 422 is not limited to the touch paneldisplay but may be, for example, a keyboard, a pointing device, amechanical switch, or a gesture sensor. The display 421 may be aprojector or the like configured to project video images by, forexample, a projection mapping technique.

Moreover, the user interface 42 may include a voice input/output unitalternatively to the display 421 and the operation section 422 or inaddition to the display 421 and the operation section 422. In this case,the user interface 42 is able to provide customers with various types ofinformation by voice output from a loudspeaker. Moreover, the userinterface 42 applies speech recognition and semantic analysis to a voicesignal output from a microphone to allow customers to perform anoperation (voice input) by voice.

For example, the sales system 4 may provide customers with messages suchas “Welcome” and “Thank you very much” respectively at a timing at whicha customer is detected and at a timing at which the checkout process iscompleted. In this way, it is possible to give customers a sense ofaffinity like clerk service. Moreover, a customer, for example, operatesthe operation section 422 to select a payment method and pays thecheckout amount displayed on the display 421. Alternatively, the salessystem 4 is able to provide a customer with a utilization procedure ofthe shopping assistance system 100 by the display 421. In this case,preferably when, for example, the basket device 2 is placed in thebagging space 700, the display 421 then represents each step of theoperating procedure sequentially, thereby confirming whether or not fastfood or cigarettes are purchased, etc.

Moreover, the detection device 43 includes a camera 431 and a weightsensor 432. The camera 431 photographs the bagging space 700 fromobliquely above. Thus, in a state where the basket device 2, in whichthe one or more items 8 have been put, is placed in the bagging space700, it is possible to photograph an image of the one or more items 8 inthe basket device 2 by the camera 431. The weight sensor 432 isconfigured to measure the weight of the one or more items 8 placed inthe bagging space 700. The weight sensor 432 is incorporated into ashutter 73 forming a bottom surface of the bagging space 700 (a bottomsurface of the recess 72 which will be described later).

The camera 431 may be configured to photograph, for example, a customerand may be used also as a camera for age verification. In this case, thecamera 431, together with the management device 41 and the portableterminal 6, forms an age verification system. The age verificationsystem is a system configured to assist a clerk (checker) with the ageverification of a customer (subject).

The special reading device 44 is a device configured to read respectiveitem information on one or more items 8 from the one or more items 8 inthe bagging space 700 or a reading space 701 (see FIG. 2) adjacent tothe bagging space 700. Herein, the “item information” is information foridentifying each of items 8 (information identification code), andexamples thereof in Japan include Japanese Article Number (JAN) code andthe like. Examples of the goods identification code further includeEuropean Article Number (EAN) code in Europe, Universal Product Code(UPC) in USA, and the like. The special reading device 44 is a barcodereader configured to optically read a barcode provided to each item 8 soas to read item information thereon. Thus, a customer shows each item 8which the customer picked up to the special reading device 44, therebycompleting reading of the item information by the special reading device44. The item information read by the special reading device 44 is outputto the management device 41.

In the present embodiment, the item information is also readable by thebasket device 2, and the management device 41 is capable of acquiringthe item information not only from the special reading device 44 butalso from the basket device 2, which will be described later. Thus, thespecial reading device 44 is basically used to read respective iteminformation, for example, when a customer purchases one or more items 8without using the basket device 2 and when the customer additionallypurchases one or more items 8 after transmission of the respective iteminformation from the basket device 2 to the management device 41. In thepresent embodiment, since the items 8 are goods, the item information isgoods information.

The special reading device 44 is not limited to the barcode reader, butexamples thereof may further include a reader configured to read atwo-dimensional code, and a tag reader configured to read iteminformation from an electronic tag based on a radio-frequencyidentification (RFID) in a contactless manner. The special readingdevice 44 may also be configured to read respective item informationfrom, for example, an image of the one or more items 8. In this case,the special reading device 44 includes an image sensor configured tocapture an image of the one or more items 8 inside or outside the basketbody 21. The image sensor may be used also as the camera 431 of thedetection device 43. The special reading device 44 specify therespective item information by performing image recognition processingon the image of the one or more items 8, extracting feature such asoutline, color, and texture information therefrom, and verifying bycomparing the feature with a template stored for each of items 8 inadvance. In this case, the special reading device 44 may utilizeinformation read by the barcode reader as auxiliary information forreading respective item information from the image of the one or moreitems 8. Alternatively, the barcode reader may be omitted when it ispossible to sufficiently read respective item information only from theimage of the one or more items 8.

Moreover, the shopping assistance system 100 may further include asupply unit and the like configured to supply, for example, specificgoods (e.g., cigarettes) to a customer, in addition to theabove-described configuration. As described above, the shoppingassistance system 100 preferably includes various components tocomprehensively assist customers in shopping in stores.

The portable terminal 6 is a terminal portable by a clerk. The portableterminal 6 is configured to perform two-way communication with themanagement device 41 based on wireless communication whose medium isradio wave. The management device 41 transmits a request signal to theportable terminal 6. The request signal includes image data of an imageobtained by photographing a subject (customer) to be a target of ageverification. The portable terminal 6 displays, based on the image dataincluded in the request signal received, an age verification screenincluding the image obtained by photographing a subject. In this state,a checker (clerk) views the age verification screen displayed on theportable terminal 6 to perform the age verification of the subject. Whenthe portable terminal 6 receives a result of the age verificationperformed by the checker in this way as an operation of the checker, theportable terminal 6 transmits a response signal including a result ofthe age verification to the management device 41.

Stores which the shopping assistance system 100 is introduced intoenable customers to finish purchasing one or more items 8 by a series ofprocesses of choosing the one or more items 8 in the store, putting theone or more items 8 in the basket device 2, performing the checkoutprocess thereof, and receiving the one or more items 8 automatically putin the bag 10. Thus, with the shopping assistance system 100, it ispossible to reduce, for example, a time from the start of the checkoutprocess to customers getting their items 8 while saving clerks' laborand customers' labor, thereby reducing customers' shopping time.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the shopping assistance system 100 isincorporated into, for example, one counter desk 7 installed at acheckout counter of a store. That is, the counter desk 7 is providedwith the shopping assistance system 100. A plurality of such counterdesks 7 may be installed in one store.

The counter desk 7 has the recess 72 which is open at a substantiallycentral portion in a lengthwise direction (lateral direction) of anupper surface 71. The recess 72 forms the bagging space 700 which allowsthe basket device 2 to be placed in. The shutter 73 which is openableand closable is disposed on the bottom surface of the recess 72. Thatis, a space above the shutter 73 is the bagging space 700 which allowsthe one or more items 8 as targets of the bagging to be placed in.

Under the shutter 73, the bagging mechanism 3 is disposed. In a statewhere the shutter 73 is open, the bottom surface of the recess 72 servesas an opening surface, and therefore, through the bottom surface(opening surface) of the recess 72, the bagging space 700 communicateswith the inside space of the counter desk 7 in which the baggingmechanism 3 is accommodated. In this state, through the bottom surface(opening surface) of the recess 72, a placement surface 311 of thebagging mechanism 3 which will be described later is exposed to thebagging space 700. Thus, when the shutter 73 is open, the one or moreitems 8 placed in the bagging space 700 are released onto the placementsurface 311. Then, the bagging mechanism 3 bags the one or more items 8placed on the placement surface 311.

The management device 41 is built in the counter desk 7. Moreover, theswitching unit 11, the controller 12, a bag feeding device 13, and adriver 14 are, together with the bagging mechanism 3, built in thecounter desk 7. The checkout system 5 is disposed at the right side ofthe recess 72 as viewed from a front side of the counter desk 7. Theuser interface 42 is disposed on the upper surface 71 of the counterdesk 7 at a location on the right side of the recess 72 as viewed fromthe front side of the counter desk 7. The special reading device 44 isfixed to the right side of the user interface 42 as viewed from thefront side of the counter desk 7. The camera 431 is disposed above therecess 72.

The positional relationship, shapes, and the like of components of theshopping assistance system 100 described above are mere examples and mayaccordingly be modified. For example, the bagging mechanism 3 and therecess 72 may be disposed at one end (left end or right end) in thewidth direction (lateral direction) of the counter desk 7. Moreover, therecess 72 formed in the counter desk 7 is not an essential configurationfor the shopping assistance system 100. For example, the upper surface71 of the counter desk 7 may have the bagging space 700 which allows theone or more items 8 to be placed in.

(2.2) Basket Device

Next, the basket device 2 will be described in detail. The basket device2 is a shopping basket, includes a basket body 21 (see FIG. 4A) and abottom panel 22 (see FIG. 4A), and allows one or more items 8 (in FIG.4A, three items 8) to be put in. The basket body 21 is provided with apair of grips 23 (see FIG. 4A) which a customer is to grip to hold thebasket device 2. The basket body 21 has an opening at its bottom 211(see FIG. 4A). The bottom panel 22 is slidable between a closed positionclosing the bottom 211 of the basket body 21 and an open position. Thatis, the bottom panel 22 is attached to the basket body 21 so as to allowthe bottom 211 of the basket body 21 to be closed and opened. Thisenables the one or more items 8 put in the basket device 2 to bereleased through the bottom 211 of the basket body 21.

That is, in the present embodiment, the bottom 211 of the basket body 21serves as an opening (outlet) through which each item 8 is taken out ofthe basket device 2 when the bagging is performed. Thus, the bottompanel 22 is in the closed position closing the bottom 211 of the basketbody 21 in a normal mode, and when the bagging is performed, the bottompanel 22 is slid to the open position opening the bottom 211 of thebasket body 21. In other words, the basket device 2 is configured toopen and close the bottom 211 when the bottom panel 22 is opened andclosed.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the basket device 2 includes a reading device201, a transmitter 202, memory 203, and a basket controller 204.

The reading device 201 is configured to read respective item informationon the one or more items 8 put in the basket body 21 to acquire therespective item information on the one or more items 8. The readingdevice 201 is exposed from the outer side surface of, for example, thebasket body 21. Similarly, to the special reading device 44, the readingdevice 201 is a barcode reader and optically reads a barcode on eachitem 8 to acquire item information thereon. Therefore, a customer picksup each of the one or more items 8 to show it to the reading device 201and then puts it in the basket body 21. In this case, it can be saidthat the item information on each of the one or more items 8 put in thebasket body 21 has been acquired by the reading device 201.

Similarly to the special reading device 44, the reading device 201 isnot limited to the barcode reader, but examples thereof may furtherinclude a reader configured to read a two-dimensional code and a tagreader configured to read item information from an electronic tag basedon a radio-frequency identification (RFID) in a contactless manner.Alternatively, the reading device 201 may be configured to readrespective item information from, for example, an image of the one ormore items 8.

The transmitter 202 transmits the respective item information acquiredby the reading device 201 to the sales system 4. In the presentembodiment, the transmitter 202 is composed of a communication moduleconfigured to perform two-way communication with the sales system 4. Thetransmitter 202 communicates with the sales system 4 by optical wirelesscommunication whose medium is radiation such as infrared radiation orvisible radiation. Among different types of wireless communication,especially, near field type communication (near field wirelesscommunication) having a narrow communication area is applicable becausethe transmitter 202 transmits item information with the basket body 21placed in the bagging space 700 (the counter desk 7).

The memory 203 is configured to store one or more pieces of iteminformation. For example, whenever the reading device 201 reads iteminformation, the item information is stored in the memory 203. Thetransmitter 202 may transmit one or more pieces of item informationstored in the memory 203 all together to the sales system 4 or dividethe one or more pieces of item information into packets to transmit thepackets to the sales system 4. In the present embodiment, the memory 203stores item information acquired through the reading device 201 and thenumber thereof (i.e., acquisition count of item information acquired bythe reading device 201). For example, when there is one or more piecesof item information as respective item information on three items 8 thatinclude two items 8 of “A” and one item 8 (or one product) of “B”, thememory 203 stores item information on “A”, “2” as count thereof, iteminformation “B”, and “1” as count thereof. For example, when thetransmitter 202 succeeds in transmitting the one or more pieces of iteminformation to the sales system 4, the one or more pieces of iteminformation stored in the memory 203 is deleted.

The basket controller 204 includes a microcomputer as a main componentand is configured to cause a processor of the microcomputer to execute aprogram stored in memory of the microcomputer, thereby controlling eachpart such as the reading device 201. The program may be stored in thememory in advance, provided via a telecommunications network such as theInternet, or provided by a non-transitory storage medium such as amemory card storing the program.

(2.3) Bagging System

Next, the bagging system 1 will be described in detail. As illustratedin FIG. 1, the bagging system 1 includes the bagging mechanism 3, theswitching unit 11, the controller 12, the bag feeding device 13, and thedriver 14.

When only one or more items 8 are directly placed in the bagging space700, the bagging mechanism 3 puts the one or more items 8 into the bag10, thereby performing the “bagging”. Alternatively, when one or moreitems 8 are put in the basket device 2, and then the basket device 2, inwhich the one or more items 8 have been put, is placed in the baggingspace 700, the bagging mechanism 3 moves the one or more items 8 in thebasket device 2 from the basket device 2 into the bag 10, therebyperforming the “bagging”.

That is, for example, when a customer purchases one or more items 8without using the basket device 2, the customer directly places the oneor more items 8, which the customer picked up in a store, in the baggingspace 700, and thereby, it is possible to cause the bagging mechanism 3to perform the bagging of the one or more items 8. Thus, both hands of acustomer do not have to be occupied to perform the action of thebagging, and the bagging of the one or more items 8 can be easilyperformed. Alternatively, when a customer purchases one or more 8 byusing the basket device 2, the customer picks up the one or more items 8in a shop and puts the one or more items 8 in the basket device 2, andplaces the basket device 2 in which the one or more items 8 have beenput, in the bagging space 700, thereby causing the bagging mechanism 3to perform the bagging of the one or more items 8. Thus, a customer doesnot have to take each of the one or more items 8 out of the basketdevice 2 to bag it, and the bagging of the one or more items 8 can beeasily performed. When two or more items 8 are put in the basket device2, the bagging mechanism 3 is capable of collectively bag the two ormore items 8.

The bag feeding device 13 is a device configured to feed the bag 10 tothe bagging mechanism 3. That is, the bagging system 1 further includesthe bag feeding device 13 configured to feed the bag 10 to the baggingmechanism 3. As illustrated in FIG. 3, a plurality of bags 10 are storedin a bag storage 131, and the bag feeding device 13 takes the bags 10one by one out of the bag storage 131 and feeds the bag 10 taken out tothe bagging mechanism 3. In the present embodiment, the managementdevice 41 controls the bag feeding device 13 in an interlocked mannerwith the bagging mechanism 3 so that one bag 10 is always set on(provided to) the bagging mechanism 3. In FIG. 3, a state of the bag 10set on the bagging mechanism 3 is shown in imaginary line (long dasheddouble-short dashed line). That is, the bagging mechanism 3 isconfigured to perform the bagging by using one bag 10 fed from the bagfeeding device 13. Each time the bagging mechanism 3 performs thebagging, one new bag 10 is fed from the bag feeding device 13 to thebagging mechanism 3 in preparation for the next bagging. In other words,the bag feeding device 13 starts feeding a bag 10 to the baggingmechanism 3 when the bagging by the bagging mechanism 3 is completed.

In this embodiment, the bag feeding device 13 includes, as illustratedin FIG. 3, the bag storage 131 which stores a plurality of (in thisembodiment, two) types of bags 10A and 10B. That is, the bag storage 131stores the plurality of bags 10A and the plurality of bags 10B. Each bag10A is different from each bag 10B in type (including size, shape,shape, color, material, indication, and the like). In the presentembodiment, for example, the bags 10A are stored in a lower section ofthe bag storage 131, and the bags 10B smaller in size than the bags 10Aare stored in an upper section of the bag storage 131. In the presentdisclosure, when the bags 10A and the bags 10B are not distinguishedfrom each other, each of the bags 10A and the bags 10B are simplyreferred to as “bag 10”.

The driver 14 includes an electric motor (motor) and is realized by anappropriate mechanism configured to drive the bagging mechanism 3 bydriving force generated by the electric motor of, for example, apantograph type or a rack-and-pinion type. Moreover, the driver 14 alsogenerates driving force for driving the shutter 73 and the bottom panel22 of the basket device 2. In the present embodiment, the managementdevice 41 controls the driver 14.

The switching unit 11 is configured to switch between performing and notperforming the bagging and/or switch between the types (including size,shape, color, material, indication, and the like) of bag 10 for thebagging. That is, the switching unit 11 performs switching betweenperforming and not performing the bagging, or switching the types of bag10 for the bagging, or both switching between performing and notperforming the bagging and switching between the types of bag 10 for thebagging. In the present embodiment, the switching unit 11 is configuredto both switch between performing and not performing the bagging andswitch between the types of bag 10 for the bagging.

Specifically, of functions of the switching unit 11, a function ofswitching between performing and not performing bagging is realized by,for example, a cancellation circuit electrically connected to the driver14. In this configuration, the cancellation circuit as a part of theswitching unit 11 operates to disable the operation of the driver 14,thereby disabling the bagging by the bagging mechanism 3. That is, theswitching unit 11 switches between enabling and disabling the operationof the driver 14 to switch between “performing and not performingbagging”. In other words, the switching unit 11 selects one of“performing the bagging” and “not performing the bagging”. Only when theswitching unit 11 selects “performing the bagging”, the baggingmechanism 3 performs the bagging. That is, when the switching unit 11selects “not performing the bagging”, the bagging mechanism 3 does notperform the bagging.

Moreover, the switching unit 11 switches between the bags 10A and 10Bfed from the bag feeding device 13 to the bagging mechanism 3 to switchthe types of bag 10. That is, in the present embodiment, the bag feedingdevice 13 includes the bag storage 131 which stores a plurality of typesof bags 10A and 10B as described above. The switching unit 11 switches,for the bag feeding device 13, between the plurality of types of bags10A and 10B to change a bag 10 to be taken out of the bag storage 131and to be supplied to the bagging mechanism 3. In this configuration, ofthe functions of the switching unit 11, a function of switching betweenthe types of bag 10 is realized by a robot arm that takes the bags 10out of, for example, the bag storage 131 and its driver circuit. In thisconfiguration, the robot arm and the driver circuit which are part ofthe switching unit 11 take one of the bag 10A and the bag 10B from thebag storage 131. That is, the switching unit 11 switches betweensupplying the bag 10A from the bag feeding device 13 to the baggingmechanism 3 (see arrow A1 in FIG. 3) and supplying the bag 10B from thebag feeding device 13 to the bagging mechanism 3 (see arrow A2 in FIG.3), thereby switching the types of bag 10 for the bagging. In otherwords, the switching unit 11 switches between the bag 10A and the bag10B to change the bag 10 to be supplied to the bag feeding device 13,thereby switching the types of bag 10 for the bagging.

The controller 12 controls the switching unit 11. That is, thecontroller 12 outputs instruction information (command) to the switchingunit 11 which actually performs the switching, and thereby thecontroller 12 causes the switching unit 11 to operate. For example, whenthe switching unit 11 includes, as described above, the cancellationcircuit, the robot arm, and the driver circuit, the controller 12outputs the instruction information to the cancellation circuit and thedriver circuit to control the switching unit 11. The controller 12 maybe integrated with the switching unit 11. The controller 12 includes amicrocomputer as a main component and causes a processor of themicrocomputer to execute a program stored in memory of themicrocomputer, thereby controlling at least the switching unit 11. Theprogram may be stored in the memory in advance, provided via atelecommunications network such as the Internet, or provided by anon-transitory storage medium such as a memory card storing the program.

The controller 12 is configured to control the switching unit 11 basedon actually measured data acquired from the detection device 43configured to output at least one of an image or respective weights ofthe one or more items 8 located in the bagging space 700 as the actuallymeasured data. In the present embodiment, the detection device 43includes the camera 431 and the weight sensor 432 and thus can outputboth the image and the respective weights of the one or more items 8located in the bagging space 700 as the actually measured data. Forexample, when the actually measured data of the respective sizes,respective weights, or the like of the one or more items 8 as targets ofthe bagging is larger than or equal to a certain value, the controller12 controls the switching unit 11 such that the bag 10A which is largerin size than the bag 10B is adopted for the bagging.

Moreover, the controller 12 is configured to control the switching unit11 based on respective item information on the one or more items 8, therespective item information being acquired from an information readingdevice configured to read the respective item information from the oneor more items 8. In the present embodiment, the information readingdevice includes two types of devices, namely, the reading device 201 ofthe basket device 2 and the special reading device 44 provided to thecounter desk 7. That is, the information reading device includes boththe reading device 201 and the special reading device 44. For example,when the price of the one or more items 8 identified based on therespective item information is higher than or equal to a certain value,the controller 12 controls the switching unit 11 such that the bag 10Awhich is larger in size than the bag 10B is adopted for the bagging. Theoperation of the controller 12 will be described in detail in “(3.3)Switching Operation”.

Next, the bagging mechanism 3 will be described further in detail. Asillustrated in FIG. 3, the bagging mechanism 3 includes a support 31 anda guide 32.

The support 31 includes the placement surface 311. The support 31 has arectangular plate shape. The support 31 has an upper surface whichserves as the placement surface 311 on which the one or more items 8 areto be put. In this embodiment, the placement surface 311 has arectangular shape having rounded corners.

The guide 32 is disposed around the support 31 along the outer peripheryof the placement surface 311. The guide 32 is in a shape of a cylinder.Of an upper surface and a lower surface of the cylinder, at least theupper surface is an opening. In the present embodiment, the guide 32 isin a shape of a rectangular cylinder. Both an upper surface and a lowersurface of the rectangular cylinder are openings. The opening surface ofthe guide 32 is slightly larger than the placement surface 311, and theguide 32 is disposed around the support 31 along the outer periphery ofthe placement surface 311. In this embodiment, the shape of an innerperipheral edge of an upper end surface of the guide 32 and the shape ofthe outer periphery of the placement surface 311 are in a similarityrelationship.

The bagging mechanism 3 changes the relative positional relationshipbetween the support 31 and the guide 32 from a first state to a secondstate in a state where the one or more items 8 (in FIG. 4A, three items8) are supported on a bottom 102 (see FIG. 4A) of the bag 10 on theplacement surface 311 to put the one or more items 8 into the bag 10.The location of the support 31 relative to the guide 32 in the secondstate is at a lower level than in the first state. In the presentembodiment, a state where the support 31 is located at the upper end ofthe guide 32 is defined as the first state (see FIG. 4B). When therelative positional relationship between the support 31 and the guide 32is in the first state, the upper surface (placement surface 311) of thesupport 31 is located at a slightly higher level than the upper endsurface of the guide 32. Thus, in the first state, the support 31 isdisposed to close the opening in the upper surface of the guide 32. Thesecond state is a state where the support 31 is located at the lower endof the guide 32 (see FIG. 5A).

In the present embodiment, when the relative positional relationshipbetween the support 31 and the guide 32 changes from the first state tothe second state, the one or more items 8 move to the inner side of thebag 10. That is, in the present embodiment, the bagging of putting theone or more items 8 into the bag 10 is completed when the relativepositional relationship between the support 31 and the guide 32 reachesthe second state from the first state. The operation including thebagging by the bagging mechanism 3 will be explained in “(3.2) BasicOperation of Bagging Mechanism” which will be described in detail later.

Moreover, in the present embodiment, the driver 14 changes the relativepositional relationship between the support 31 and the guide 32 from thefirst state to the second state. The driver 14 moves only the support 31of the support 31 and the guide 32 downward, thereby changing therelative positional relationship between the support 31 and the guide 32from the first state to the second state. That is, the support 31 isconfigured to be moved, by the driver 14, in the guide 32 which istubular and which is fixed at a fixed position in the verticaldirection. Specifically, the support 31 is connected to the driver 14 bya drive shaft 33 which is columnar. The driver 14 moves the drive shaft33 in the vertical direction to move the support 31 fixed to the upperend of the drive shaft 33 in the vertical direction.

Moreover, in the present embodiment, the bagging mechanism 3 furtherincludes a holder 312 which holds the bottom 102 of the bag 10 on theplacement surface 311. The holder 312 clamps the bottom 102 of the bag10 to hold the bottom 102. The bagging mechanism 3 keeps the bottom 102of the bag 10 held on the placement surface 311 by the holder 312 whilethe relative positional relationship between the at least support 31 andthe guide 32 changes from the first state to the second state.

(3) Operation

The operation of the shopping assistance system 100 according to thepresent embodiment will be described below.

(3.1) Overall Operation

An overall operation of the shopping assistance system 100 from acustomer's visit to a store until completion of bagging of one or moreitems 8 will be explained. In the present embodiment, the bagging system1 includes, as described above, the switching unit 11 configured toswitch between performing and not performing the bagging. Therefore, oneof “performing the bagging” and “not performing the bagging” isselected. Thus, “bagging” by the bagging system 1 is not alwaysperformed. When the switching unit 11 selects “not performing thebagging”, “bagging” by the bagging system 1 is not performed. Note thatthe present embodiment describes an example of a case of “performing thebagging” where the bagging system 1 performs “bagging”, and switchingbetween performing and not performing the bagging by the switching unit11 will be described in “(3.3) Switching Operation”.

When a customer purchases one or more items 8 by using a basket device2, the customer who visits a store, first takes the basket device 2 froma basket area. Then, the customer carrying the basket device 2 moves inthe store and puts the one or more items 8 which the customer desires topurchase in the basket body 21 of the basket device 2. At this moment,the customer shows each of the one or more items 8 picked up to thereading device 201 and then, puts it in the basket body 21. Thus, thereading device 201 acquires respective item information on the one ormore items 8.

Thereafter, the customer places the basket device 2, in which the one ormore items 8 which the customer desires to purchase have been put, inthe bagging space 700. At this time, placement of the basket device 2 inthe bagging space 700 is detected by, for example, the detection device43 (at least one of the camera 431 or the weight sensor 432). The salessystem 4 receives the detection result by the detection device 43 andthen starts communication with the basket device 2 to acquire therespective item information from the basket device 2.

When acquiring the respective item information, the sales system 4transmits (transfers) the respective item information to the checkoutsystem 5. As a reply (response) to the respective item information, thesales system 4 acquires pieces of price data transmitted from thecheckout system 5. Moreover, the sales system 4 creates, based on thepieces of price data acquired, a purchase list which is a list of therespective information on the one or more items 8.

At this time, the sales system 4 determines whether or not the purchaselist includes specific goods which require age verification for sales.As an example of the specific goods, the present embodiment includesalcohol (alcohol goods). Herein, the sales system 4 judges whether ornot alcohol is included in the one or more items 8 put in the basketdevice 2 based on the purchase list. When alcohol is contained in thepurchase list, the sales system 4 transmits a start signal to the ageverification system. The age verification system receives the startsignal and then starts a series of steps for the age verification. Whenthe age verification by the age verification system fails, the salessystem 4 interrupts the sales process of the specific item.

When the age verification is successfully performed by the ageverification system, or when the purchase list includes no alcohol, thesales system 4 proceeds with the checkout process. At this time, thesales system 4 causes the display 421 of the user interface 42 todisplay on-screen checkout confirmation including the purchase list.When in the on-screen checkout confirmation, the operation section 422receives a specific operation for starting the checkout process, thesales system 4 causes the checkout system 5 to start the checkoutprocess.

After the checkout process is started, the sales system 4 causes thebagging system 1 to start the bagging. That is, after the sales system 4causes the checkout system 5 to start the checkout process, the salessystem 4 transmits a control signal to the bagging system 1 to cause thebagging system 1 to start the bagging. Thus, the bagging mechanism 3 ofthe bagging system 1 starts “bagging” to move the one or more items 8from the basket device 2 to the bag 10 during the checkout process ofthe one or more items 8. Note that preferably after the checkout processis completed, the customer is allowed to receive the bag 10 storing theone or more items 8 with the bagging process by the bagging mechanism 3being completed.

Moreover, when a customer additionally purchases one or more items 8after transmission of the respective item information from the basketdevice 2 to the management device 41, the customer shows each of the oneor more items 8, which are to be additionally purchased, to the specialreading device 44, and then, the customer puts it in the basket body 21.Thus, the special reading device 44 acquires respective item informationon the one or more items 8 which are to be additionally purchased. Thesales system 4 adds the information (including price data) on the one ormore items 8 to be additionally purchased to the purchase list based onthe respective item information read by the special reading device 44.Thus, an information list of the items 8 regarding both the respectiveitem information transmitted from the basket device 2 to the managementdevice 41 and the respective item information read from the specialreading device 44 is created as a purchase list.

On the other hand, when a customer purchases one or more items 8 withoutusing the basket device 2, the customer shows each of the one or moreitems 8 to be purchased to the special reading device 44 and places itin the bagging space 700. Thus, the special reading device 44 acquiresrespective item information on the one or more items 8. The sales system4 creates a purchase list based on the respective item information readby the special reading device 44. In this case, the bagging mechanism 3of the bagging system 1 starts “bagging” of putting the one or moreitems 8 placed in the bagging space 700 into the bag 10 during thecheckout process of the one or more items 8.

Moreover, both in a case where a customer additionally purchases two ormore items 8 after transmission of the respective item information fromthe basket device 2 to the management device 41 and in a case where acustomer purchases two or more items 8 without using the basket device2, it is possible to sequentially read pieces of item information on thetwo or more items 8 by the special reading device 44. Thus, for example,also when a customer purchases two or more items 8 without using thebasket device 2, pieces of item information on the two or more items 8are sequentially read by the special reading device 44, and thereby thetwo or more items 8 can be collectively subjected to the checkoutprocess.

Here, the sales system 4 may check the consistency of the respectiveitem information read by the special reading device 44 with the one ormore items 8 placed in the bagging space 700. The respective pieces ofinformation on the one or more items 8 placed in the bagging space 700can be sensed by, for example, the detection device 43 (at least one ofthe camera 431 or the weight sensor 432). For example, when one or moreitems 8 are added to the basket device 2 placed in the bagging space 700without the respective item information on the one or more items 8 beingread by the special reading device 44, the sales system 4 determinesthat the pieces of item information are not consistent with the one ormore items, and notifies an error.

(3.2) Basic Operation of Bagging Mechanism

Next, a basic operation of the bagging mechanism 3 will be describedwith reference to FIGS. 4A to 5C. FIGS. 4A to 5C schematically shows theoperation of the bagging mechanism 3, and the bag feeding device 13 andthe like are accordingly omitted. Here, it is assumed that the baggingmechanism 3 moves two or more items 8 put in the basket device 2 fromthe basket device 2 to the bag 10. Also when one or more items directlyplaced in the bagging space 700 are bagged, the basic operation of thebagging mechanism 3 is the same except that the basket device 2 is notinvolved.

First, when the relative positional relationship between the support 31and the guide 32 is in the first state as illustrated in FIG. 4A, thebag 10 is put on the support 31 and the guide 32 with the opening 101 ofthe bag 10 facing downward, and the bottom 102 of the bag 10 issupported by the placement surface 311. A state shown in FIG. 4A is astandby state of the bagging mechanism 3, and the bagging mechanism 3remains in the standby state until the bagging mechanism receives acontrol signal from the management device 41. In the example shown inFIG. 4A, the shutter 73 is already open, and through the bottom surface(opening surface) of the recess 72, the bagging space 700 communicateswith the inside space of the counter desk 7 in which the baggingmechanism 3 is accommodated. Note that the embodiment should not beconstrued as limiting, but a timing at which the shutter 73 is openedmay be a timing at which “bagging” is started as illustrated in FIG. 4B.

When receiving the control signal from the management device 41, thebagging mechanism 3 starts “bagging”. When the bagging is started, asillustrated in FIG. 4B, the bottom panel 22 of the basket device 2 isopened, thereby releasing the items 8 in the basket device 2 through thebottom 211 onto the placement surface 311 of the bagging mechanism 3.That is, the driver 14 moves the bottom panel 22 of the basket device 2to the open position. Thus, the items 8 are placed on the bag 10 on theplacement surface 311. At this time, the bag 10 is held by the placementsurface 311 due to the weight of the items 8 and additionally due to theholding force of the holder 312. That is, the action of bagging includesan operation of opening and closing the bottom panel 22 by the driver 14to open and close the bottom 211.

Starting from the state (first state), as illustrated in FIG. 4C, thedriver 14 moves the support 31 downward relative to the guide 32. Atthis time, the items 8 move downward along with the movement of thesupport 31. Then, the items 8 remain on the bag 10 on the placementsurface 311. Moreover, stating from the state, the driver 14 moves thesupport 31 downward relative to the guide 32, and thereby the bag 10 isgradually pulled into the inner side of the guide 32. At this time, aside peripheral part 103 of the bag 10 which is continuous to the bottom102 of the bag 10 is drawn into the inner side of the guide section 32while the side peripheral part 103 is squeezed by the upper end surfaceof the guide section 32. Thus, the guide section 32 around the support31 raises the side peripheral part 103 of the bag 10 from the outerperiphery of the bottom 102.

When the relative positional relationship between the support 31 and theguide section 32 transitions to the second state as illustrated in FIG.5A, the bag 10 is, in a space surrounded by the guide section 32, turnedinside out from the state shown in FIG. 4A, so that the items 8 arestored in the bag 10. At this time, the side peripheral part 103 is in araised state along an inner peripheral surface of the guide section 32.

Here, the bagging mechanism 3 is configured such that in the secondstate, a level difference from the placement surface 311 to the upperend surface of the guide section 32 is larger than or equal to the totallength of the bag 10 in the vertical direction. Herein “the total lengthof the bag 10 in the vertical direction” refers to a total lengthincluding a pair of handles 104 of the bag 10, that is, a dimension fromthe bottom 102 of the bag 10 to tips of the handles 104. Thus, the bag10 inclusive of the tips of the handles 104 is fit in a space surroundedby the guide section 32. Thus, the bag 10 inclusive of not only the sideperipheral part 103 but also the handles 104 is in the raised state.

Next, the driver 14 moves the bottom panel 22 of the basket device 2 tothe closed position as illustrated in FIG. 5B. Then, after the basketdevice 2 is removed from the bagging space 700 above the baggingmechanism 3, the bagging mechanism 3 drives the support 31 by the driver14 to change the relative positional relationship between the support 31and the guide 32 from the second state to the first state. The bag 10 isthus released from the space surrounded by the guide 32.

That is, as the support 31 moves upward, the bag 10 on the placementsurface 311 goes upward through the opening on a side facing the uppersurface of the guide section 32. Moreover, the support 31 moves upward,thereby completely releasing the bag 10 from the space surrounded by theguide section 32 as illustrated in FIG. 5C. At this time, the bag 10inclusive of the handles 104 maintains an independent position.Moreover, the bag 10 is turned inside out from the state of the bag 10supplied by the bag feeding device 13 in FIG. 4A so as to store theitems 8. Therefore, when characters and the like are printed on the bag10, mirror printing is preferably adopted to the bag 10. Thus, acustomer can receive the items 8 stored in the bag 10.

In the bagging system 1 according to the present embodiment, retrieval(removal) of the basket device 2 from the bagging space 700 is basicallyperformed a customer himself/herself. Specifically, when the dischargingof the items 8 from the basket device 2 is completed, the bagging system1 closes the bottom panel 22 of the basket device 2. Thereafter, forexample, the user interface 42 performs notification to prompt theretrieval of the basket device 2. When receiving the notification, thecustomer moves the basket device 2 which is empty and which is placed inthe bagging space 700 to the basket area.

In this embodiment, a basket area for retrieved baskets is preferablydefined near the checkout counter separately from the basket area nearthe entrance of the store. In this way, the customer only have to movethe basket device 2 which is empty and which is placed in the baggingspace 700 of the checkout counter to the basket area for retrievedbaskets defined near the checkout counter, and the customer does nothave to move the basket device 2 which is empty to the basket area nearthe entrance of the store.

Thus, since the customer retrieves the basket device 2 byhimself/herself, a device configured to retrieve the basket device 2 isno longer necessary, which simplifies the configuration of the baggingsystem 1. Moreover, the customer can retrieve the basket device 2 duringa series of actions for receiving the items 8, and therefore, eventhough the retrieval of the basket device 2 is performed by the customerhimself/herself, an increase of the labor of the customer is suppressedto a relatively low degree.

(3.3) Switching Operation

Next, an operation relating to switching between performing and notperforming the bagging and switching between the bags 10 for the baggingof operations by the bagging system 1 according to the presentembodiment will be described in more detail.

In the present embodiment, the controller 12 includes at least ano-bagging-priority mode and a bagging-priority mode as operation modes.In other words, the operation modes of the controller 12 include aplurality of operation modes including the no-bagging-priority mode andthe bagging-priority mode. The no-bagging-priority mode is an operationmode in which the bagging is not performed when the operation section422 does not receive a first operation by a user during an operationstandby period, and the bagging is performed when the operation section422 receives the first operation by a user during an operation standbyperiod. On the other hand, the bagging-priority mode is an operationmode in which the bagging is performed when the operation section 422does not receive a second operation by a user during the operationstandby period, and the bagging is not performed when the operationsection 422 receives the second operation by a user during the operationstandby period.

In sum, the no-bagging-priority mode is an operation mode in which “notperforming the bagging” is the default, whereas the bagging-prioritymode is an operation mode in which “performing the bagging” is thedefault. Thus, if the operation mode of the controller 12 is theno-bagging-priority mode, the switching unit 11 selects “not performingthe bagging” as the default, and if the first operation is performed onthe operation section 422 during the operation standby period, theswitching unit 11 switches between performing and not performing thebagging to select “performing the bagging”. On the other hand, if theoperation mode of the controller 12 is the bagging-priority mode, theswitching unit 11 selects “performing the bagging” as the default, andif the second operation is performed on the operation section 422 duringthe operation standby period, the switching unit 11 switches betweenperforming and not performing the bagging to select “not performing thebagging”. In the present embodiment, as an example, the first operationcorresponds to pushing (tapping) of a bagging button B2 (see FIG. 8B),and the second operation corresponds to pushing (tapping) of askip-bagging button B1 (see FIG. 8A), which will be described in detaillater. Note that the first operation and the second operation may be thesame operations.

Thus, the controller 12 is configured to switch between selecting “notperforming the bagging” with priority and selecting “performing thebagging” with priority based on the operation mode. When the controller12 operates in the no-bagging-priority mode, “not performing thebagging” is selected with priority, and when the controller 12 operatesin the bagging-priority mode, “performing the bagging” is selected withpriority.

The controller 12 includes at least the no-bagging-priority mode and thebagging-priority mode as the operation modes and may include three ormore types of operation modes. Note that in the present embodiment, itis assumed that the operation mode of the controller 12 includes onlythe no-bagging-priority mode and the bagging-priority mode.

In this embodiment, the operation mode of the controller 12 is theno-bagging-priority mode when a determination condition which isprescribed is satisfied. The determination condition includes that inthe bagging space 700 or in a reading space 701 adjacent to the baggingspace 700, item information is read by the special reading device 44configured to read the respective item information from one or moreitems 8. That is, depending on whether or not the determinationcondition is satisfied, the operation mode of the controller 12 isswitched, and when the determination condition is satisfied, theoperation mode of the controller 12 is the no-bagging-priority mode. Onthe other hand, if the determination condition is not satisfied, theoperation mode of the controller 12 is the bagging-priority mode. Thus,in the present embodiment, the operation mode of the controller 12 isswitched automatically depending on whether or not the determinationcondition is satisfied.

In particular, in the present embodiment, the determination conditionincludes that the special reading device 44 reads item information.Therefore, if the special reading device 44 reads no item information,the determination condition is not satisfied, and the operation mode ofthe controller 12 is the bagging-priority mode. As described above,basically, the special reading device 44 is used to read respective iteminformation, for example, in a case where a customer purchases one ormore items 8 without using the basket device 2 and in a case where acustomer additionally purchases one or more items 8 after transmissionof the respective item information from the basket device 2 to themanagement device 41. That is, when reading of item information iscompleted by only the basket device 2, reading of item information bythe special reading device 44 is not performed in general, and thedetermination condition is not satisfied. Thus, the operation mode ofthe controller 12 is the bagging-priority mode.

Moreover, as described above, in the present embodiment, when the basketdevice 2 in which the one or more items 8 having been put is placed inthe bagging space 700, the bagging mechanism 3 transfers the one or moreitems 8 in the basket device 2 to the bag 10, thereby performing“bagging”. In this embodiment, the determination condition furtherincludes that the basket device 2 in which the one or more items 8 havebeen put is not placed in the bagging space 700.

In sum, in the present embodiment, the determination condition based onwhich the operation mode of the controller 12 is switched includes thatthe basket device 2 in which the items 8 having been put is not placedin the bagging space 700. In this embodiment, in general, the respectiveitem information on the one or more items 8 in the basket device 2 isread by the reading device 201 of the basket device 2 and transmittedfrom the basket device 2 to the management device 41 when the basketdevice 2 in which the one or more items 8 have been put is placed in thebagging space 700. Thus, whether or not the basket device 2 in which theone or more items 8 have been put is placed in the bagging space 700 canbe inferred from whether or not the respective item information is readby the reading device 201 of the basket device 2. That is, when readingof the respective item information is performed by the basket device 2,it is inferred that the basket device 2 in which the one or more items 8have been put is placed in the bagging space 700, and when reading ofthe respective item information is not performed by the basket device 2,it is inferred that the basket device 2 in which the one or more items 8have been put is not placed in the bagging space 700.

Consequently, in the present embodiment, in a case where the specialreading device 44 reads the item information and the reading device 201of the basket device 2 reads no item information, the determinationcondition is satisfied, and the operation mode of the controller 12 isthe no-bagging-priority mode. On the other hand, in a case where thespecial reading device 44 reads the item information and the readingdevice 201 of the basket device 2 reads the item information, thedetermination condition is not satisfied, and the operation mode of thecontroller 12 is the bagging-priority mode. Thus, in a case where acustomer additionally purchases one or more items 8 after transmissionof the respective item information from the basket device 2 to themanagement device 41, the determination condition is not satisfied evenwhen the special reading device 44 is used to read respective iteminformation, and therefore the operation mode of the controller 12 isthe bagging-priority mode.

With reference to FIGS. 6 to 9B, a specific operation example relatingto switching between performing and not performing the bagging andswitching between the bags 10 for the bagging of the bagging system 1according to the present embodiment will be described below.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a series of steps performed by thecontroller 12 relating to the bagging.

The controller 12 first determines whether or not reading of one or morepieces of item information is performed (S1). Specifically, since one ormore pieces of item information are transmitted from the special readingdevice 44 and the basket device 2 to the management device 41, thecontroller 12 determines that the reading of the one or more pieces ofitem information is performed when the management device 41 receives theone or more pieces of item information from the special reading device44 or the basket device 2. If the reading of the one or more pieces ofitem information is not performed (S1: No), the controller 12 repeatedlyperforms the step S1.

If the reading of the reading of the one or more pieces of iteminformation is performed (S1: Yes), the controller 12 determines whetheror not the reading of the one or more pieces of item information isperformed by the special reading device 44 (S2) in order to determinethe determination condition. If the reading of the one or more pieces ofitem information is performed by the special reading device 44 (S2:Yes), the controller 12 determines whether or not reading of one or morepieces of item information by (the reading device 201 of) the basketdevice 2 (S3) is performed. If the reading of the one or more pieces ofitem information by (the reading device 201 of) the basket device 2 isperformed (S3: Yes), it is inferred that the basket device 2 in whichone or more items 8 having been put is placed in the bagging space 700.Thus, the determination condition is not satisfied, and the operationmode of the controller 12 is the bagging-priority mode (S4).Alternatively, if the reading of the one or more pieces of iteminformation is not performed by the special reading device 44 (S2: No),it is clear, without performing the process in S3, that thedetermination condition is not satisfied. Thus, the controller 12 skipsstep S3, so that the operation mode is the bagging-priority mode (S4).

When the operation mode becomes the bagging-priority mode, thecontroller 12 displays the skip-bagging button B1 (see FIG. 8A) in thedisplay 421 of the user interface 42 (S5). Then, the controller 12determines whether or not the skip-bagging button B1 in the operationsection 422 of the user interface 42 is pushed (tapped) during theoperation standby period (S6). If the skip-bagging button B1 is notpushed (tapped) during the operation standby period (S6: No), that is,if the operation section 422 does not receive the second operation bythe user, the controller 12 causes the switching unit 11 to select“performing the bagging” which is the default in the bagging-prioritymode. In this case, after the automatic bag determining process (S10)which will be described later, the bagging mechanism 3 performs thebagging (S11), and the series of steps relating to the bagging by thecontroller 12 are terminated.

On the other hand, if the reading of the one or more pieces of iteminformation is performed by the special reading device 44 (S2: Yes) andthe reading of the one or more pieces of item information by (thereading device 201 of) the basket device 2 is not performed (S3: No),the operation mode of the controller 12 is the no-bagging-priority mode(S7). That is, if the reading of the one or more pieces of iteminformation by (the reading device 201 of) the basket device 2 is notperformed (S3: No), it is inferred that the basket device 2 in which theone or more items 8 have been put in is not placed in the bagging space700. Thus, the determination condition is satisfied, and the operationmode of the controller 12 is the no-bagging-priority mode (S7).

When the operation mode becomes the no-bagging-priority mode, thecontroller 12 displays the bagging button B2 (see FIG. 8B) in thedisplay 421 of the user interface 42 (S8). Then, the controller 12determines whether or not the bagging button B2 is pushed (tapped) inthe operation section 422 of the user interface 42 during the operationstandby period (S9). If the bagging button B2 is not pushed (tapped)during the operation standby period (S9: No), that is, if the operationsection 422 does not receive the first operation by a user, thecontroller 12 causes the switching unit 11 to select “not performing thebagging” which is the default in the no-bagging-priority mode. In thiscase, the bagging mechanism 3 does not perform bagging (S12), and theseries of steps relating to the bagging by the controller 12 areterminated.

Moreover, if, when the operation mode of the controller 12 is thebagging-priority mode, the skip-bagging button B1 is pushed (tapped)during the operation standby period (S6: Yes), the controller 12 causesthe switching unit 11 to select “not performing the bagging” andproceeds with step S12. That is, when the operation section 422 receivesa second operation by a user, the controller 12 controls, as to whetheror not the bagging is performed, the switching unit 11 such that“performing the bagging” which is the default in the bagging-prioritymode is switched to “not performing the bagging”. On the other hand, if,when the operation mode of the controller 12 is the no-bagging-prioritymode, the bagging button B2 is pushed (tapped) during the operationstandby period (S9: Yes), the controller 12 causes the switching unit 11to select “performing the bagging” and proceeds with step S10. That is,when the operation section 422 receives the first operation by a user,the controller 12 controls, as to whether or not the bagging isperformed, the switching unit 11 such that “not performing the bagging”which is the default in the no-bagging-priority mode is switched to“performing the bagging”.

In this embodiment, “operation standby period” is a time period from astart time point at which the skip-bagging button B1 (or bagging buttonB2) is started to be displayed to an end time point at which displayingof the skip-bagging button B1 (or bagging button B2) is terminated. Forexample, the displaying of the skip-bagging button B1 (or bagging buttonB2) is terminated in synchrony with starting of the checkout process bythe checkout system 5, and in this case, at a time point at which a user(customer) starts the checkout process by the checkout system 5, theoperation standby period is terminated. Note that this example shouldnot be construed as limiting. For example, “operation standby period”may be a time of a fixed length (e.g., 10 seconds).

Moreover, in the present embodiment, as described above, when thedetection device 43 senses that the basket device 2 is placed in thebagging space 700, the sales system 4 starts communicating with thebasket device 2 to acquire the one or more pieces of item informationfrom the basket device 2. Thus, in step S3, it may be determined thatthe reading of the one or more pieces of item information can beperformed by the basket device 2 (S3: Yes) when the detection device 43senses that the basket device 2 is placed in the bagging space 700.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a series of steps performed by thecontroller 12 relating to the automatic bag determining process (S10 inFIG. 6).

When the automatic bag determining process is started, the controller 12first acquires the one or more pieces of item information and masterdata (S21). The controller 12 acquires the one or more pieces of iteminformation from the management device 41. In the present disclosure,“master data” refers to price data associated with corresponding iteminformation, and data including a size, a weight, and the like of acorresponding item 8 and is stored in the checkout system 5 in thepresent embodiment. Thus, when acquiring the one or more pieces of iteminformation, the controller 12 acquires respective pieces of master datacorresponding to the one or more pieces of item information from thecheckout system 5.

The controller 12 further acquires actually measured data (image dataand weight data) from the detection device 43 (S22). The image data isdata of an image obtained by photographing the bagging space 700 by thecamera 431. The weight data is data obtained by measuring the weight ofeach of one or more items 8 placed in the bagging space 700 by theweight sensor 432.

Then, the controller 12 computes an evaluation value from the checkoutamount, the size, and the weight for each of the one or more items 8 astargets to be bagged, that is, the one or more items 8 placed in thebagging space 700 (S23). The checkout amount of the one or more items 8as targets to be bagged is a value computed from price data acquired instep S21, and respective sizes and weights of the one or more items 8 astargets to be bagged are values computed from the actually measured dataacquired in the step S22. When the size and the weight of each of theone or more items 8 are included in corresponding master data, therespective sizes and weights of the one or more items 8 as targets to bebagged can be computed from only the one or more pieces of iteminformation and respective master data corresponding thereto withoutadopting the actually measured data. When the actually measured data isnot adopted, the detection device 43 may be omitted. The controller 12appropriately weights the checkout amount, the sizes, and the weightsand computes the evaluation value. That is, “evaluation value” is anumerical value for evaluation reflecting the checkout amount,respective sizes, and the weights of the one or more items 8 as targetsto be bagged. It is assumed that as each of the checkout amount, thesize, and the weight increases (becomes larger), the evaluation valuebecomes larger.

The controller 12 determines, based on the evaluation value computed,whether or not bagging is possible (S24). Specifically, the controller12 compares the evaluation value computed with a first threshold (S24).The first threshold is a value that defines an upper limit of the volumeof the bag 10 and is arbitrarily set. If the evaluation value is largerthan or equal to the first threshold (S24: No), the controller 12determines that it is not possible to put the one or more items 8 in thebag 10. That is, if the number of items 8 is too large or the respectivesizes of the one or more items 8 are too large, and thus, the evaluationvalue reflecting the checkout amount, the respective sizes, and therespective weights of the one or more items 8 as targets to be bagged islarger than or equal to the first threshold defining the upper limit ofthe volume of the bag 10, the controller 12 determines that it is notpossible to put the one or more items 8 in the bag 10.

When it is determined that it is not possible to put the one or moreitems 8 in the bag 10, that is, if it is determined that it is notpossible to successfully perform the bagging (S24: No), the controller12 causes the switching unit 11 to select “not performing the bagging”so as to interrupt the bagging by the bagging mechanism 3 and proceedswith step S25. In this case, the controller 12 notifies that the baggingcannot successfully be performed, that is, the bagging is interrupted(S26), and the automatic bag determining process is terminated. Thenotification at this time is given to at least one of the customer orthe clerk and is realized, for example, by the user interface 42 of thesales system 4, the portable terminal 6, or the like. A customer orclerk who receives the notification may perform the bagging byhimself/herself or may take a measure such as reducing the number ofitems 8 and then may resume the bagging by the bagging mechanism 3. Onthe other hand, if the evaluation value is smaller than the firstthreshold (S24: Yes), the process proceeds to step S27.

In step S27, the controller 12 compares the evaluation value computedwith a second threshold. The second threshold is a value smaller thanthe first threshold and is arbitrarily set. If the evaluation value islarger than or equal to the second threshold (S27: Yes), the controller12 determines the type of the bag 10 adopted for the bagging such thatthe “large” size bag 10A is used (S28), and then the automatic bagdetermining process is terminated. On the other hand, if the evaluationvalue is smaller than the second threshold (S27: No), the controller 12determines the type of the bag 10 adopted for the bagging so that the“small” size bag 10B is used, (S29), and the automatic bag determiningprocesses is terminated.

In sum, the automatic bag determining process is a process ofautomatically determining the type (here, the size) of the bag 10adopted for the bagging. The controller 12 performs such an automaticbag determining process, thereby enabling the switching unit 11 toautomatically switch between the types of bag 10 for the bagging. If theevaluation value reflecting the checkout amount, respective sizes,respective weights, and the like of the one or more items 8 as targetsto be bagged is a relatively large value (i.e., larger than the secondthreshold), a relatively large bag 10A is selected, and therefore, itbecomes possible to adopt a bag 10 of a suitable type for the one ormore items 8 as targets to be bagged for the bagging. Moreover, if it isnot possible to put the one or more items 8 into neither the bag 10A northe bag 10B, it may be determined that the bagging is impossible, andthe bagging is interrupted, that is, it is possible to determine thatthe bagging is not performed. An evaluation value (an evaluation valuecompared with the first threshold) based on which whether or not thebagging is possible is determined may be different from an evaluationvalue (an evaluation value compared with the second threshold) based onwhich the type (here, the size) of the bag 10 is determined.

Moreover, the flowcharts in FIGS. 6 and 7 are mere examples of theoperation of the bagging system 1, and the order of the processes may beaccordingly changed or any of the processes may be omitted accordingly.

A specific example of the operation of the bagging system 1 includingswitching between performing and not performing the bagging andswitching the bags 10 for the bagging will be described with referenceto FIGS. 8A to 9B below.

FIG. 8A shows a state where the basket device 2 in which one or moreitems 8 (in FIG. 8A, three items 8) have been put is placed in thebagging space 700 in a case where a customer purchases the one or moreitems 8 by using the basket device 2. In the example shown in FIG. 8A,it is assumed that after transmission of the pieces of item informationfrom the basket device 2 to the management device 41, the customeradditionally purchases no item 8, that is, reading of item informationis not performed by the special reading device 44.

In the example shown in FIG. 8A, the determination condition is notsatisfied, and thus, the operation mode of the controller 12 isbagging-priority mode. Thus, “performing the bagging” is the default,and the skip-bagging button B1 is displayed in the display 421 of theuser interface 42. The skip-bagging button B1 is displayed in theon-screen checkout confirmation including, for example, a purchase list.In this state, when a user (customer) expresses his/her intention not torequire the bag 10, the user is to tap the skip-bagging button B1 withinthe operation standby period. On the other hand, if the user does nottap the skip-bagging button B1 within the operation standby period, theswitching unit 11 selects “performing the bagging” of performing and notperforming the bagging.

If the skip-bagging button B1 is not tapped and “performing the bagging”is selected, the type of the bag 10 to be adopted for the bagging isautomatically determined in the automatic bag determining process basedon the checkout amount, respective sizes, respective weights, and thelike of the one or more items 8 as targets to be bagged. In the exampleshown in FIG. 8A, there are items 8 (three items 8) as targets to bebagged, and their sizes are relatively large, and therefore, the bag 10Ahaving a “large” size is adopted. Thus, the switching unit 11 causes abag 10A to be supplied from the bag feeding device 13 to the baggingmechanism 3 (see arrow A1 in FIG. 3), thereby performing the bagging byadopting the bag 10A by the bagging mechanism 3 as illustrated in FIG.9A. As a result, as illustrated in FIG. 9A, the items 8 are released ina state where they are put in the bag 10A having a “large” size.

In contrast, FIG. 8B shows a state where one or more items 8 (in FIG.8B, one item 8) are directly placed in the bagging space 700 when acustomer purchases the one or more items 8 without using the basketdevice 2. In the example shown in FIG. 8B, it is assumed that the iteminformation of the item 8 has already been read by the special readingdevice 44.

In the example shown in FIG. 8B, the determination condition issatisfied, and thus, the operation mode of the controller 12 is theno-bagging-priority mode. Thus, “not performing the bagging” is thedefault, and the bagging button B2 is displayed in the display 421 ofthe user interface 42. The bagging button B2 is displayed, for example,in an on-screen checkout confirmation including a purchase list. In thisstate, when a user (customer) expresses his/her intention to require abag 10, the user is to tap the bagging button B2 within the operationstandby period. On the other hand, when the user do not tap the baggingbutton B2 within the operation standby period, the switching unit 11selects “not performing the bagging” from performing and not performingthe bagging.

When the bagging button B2 is tapped, and “performing the bagging” isselected, the type of the bag 10 to be adopted for the bagging isautomatically determined in the automatic bag determining process basedon the checkout amount, the size, the weight, and the like of the item 8as a target to be bagged. In the example shown in FIG. 8B, there is oneitem 8 as a target to be bagged, and the size of the item 8 is small,and therefore, a bag 10B having a small size is adopted. Thus, theswitching unit 11 causes the bag 10B to be supplied from the bag feedingdevice 13 to the bagging mechanism 3 (see arrow A2 in FIG. 3), therebyperforming the bagging by the bagging mechanism 3 by adopting the bag10B as illustrated in FIG. 9B. As a result, as illustrated in FIG. 9B,the item 8 is released in a state in which it is stored in the bag 10Bhaving a small size.

Moreover, in the case of “not performing the bagging”, the baggingsystem 1 may, but does not have to, perform a process of lowering theitem 8 in the bagging space 700 into the counter desk 7. That is, whenthe bagging system 1 does not perform the bagging, the bagging by thebagging mechanism 3 is not performed, and thus, it is not essential tomove the item 8 into the counter desk 7. Note that similarly to the caseof “performing the bagging”, also in the case of “not performing thebagging”, the bagging system 1 may perform an up-down process which doesnot involve bagging and in which the item 8 is once moved into thecounter desk 7 and then released again onto the counter desk 7 (baggingspace 700) without performing the bagging. In particular, as illustratedin FIG. 8A, when the basket device 2 in which the items 8 have been putis placed in the bagging space 700, the up-down process withoutinvolving the bagging is performed, so that a customer can easilyperform retrieval (removal) of the basket device 2 from the baggingspace 700. The up-down process without involving the bagging isrealizable, for example, by moving the guide 32 downward together withthe support 31 when the support 31 is moved downward (downwardmovement), and by maintaining the relative positional relationshipbetween the support 31 and the guide 32 in the first state.

As to switching between performing and not performing the bagging, inthe case of “not performing the bagging”, the bag 10 is naturally notneeded. Thus, any incentive reward (incentive) may be set. Specifically,in the case of “not performing the bagging” in which the bagging is notperformed (S12), for example, a price corresponding to the bag 10 may bededucted or a point may be issued to treat a user (customer) withfavoritism as compared to the case of “performing the bagging” in whichthe bagging is executed (S11). In this case, the bagging system 1 isinterlocked with the checkout system 5 so that the price deduction orissuance of a point is performed by the checkout system 5 in accordancewith performing or not performing the bagging.

(4) Variation

The embodiment is a mere example of various embodiments of the presentdisclosure. Various modifications are possible depending on design andthe like as long as the object of the present disclosure can beachieved. Moreover, functions similar to those of the bagging system 1according to the embodiment may be embodied by a control method, acomputer program, a non-transitory storage medium storing a computerprogram, or the like of the bagging system.

A control method of a bagging system according to one aspect is acontrol method of a bagging system including a bagging mechanism 3. Thebagging mechanism 3 is configured to perform bagging to put one or moreitems 8 placed in a bagging space 700 into a bag 10. The control methodincludes switching between performing and not performing the baggingand/or switching between the types of bag 10 for the bagging. Moreover,a program according to one aspect is a program which causes a computersystem to execute the control method of the bagging system.

Variations of the embodiment will be described below. The variationsdescribed below are applicable accordingly in combination.

In the shopping assistance system 100 in the present disclosure, thesales system 4, and the like include respective computer systems. Eachcomputer system includes a processor and memory as hardware as maincomponents. The processor executes a program stored in the memory ofeach computer system, thereby realizing the function as the shoppingassistance system 100 of the present disclosure. The program may bestored in the memory of each computer system in advance, provided viatelecommunications network, or provided via a non-transitory recordingmedium such as a computer system-readable memory card, an optical disc,or a hard disk drive storing the program. The processor of each computersystem includes one or more electronic circuits including asemiconductor integrated circuit (IC) or a large-scale integratedcircuit (LSI). The plurality of electronic circuits may be integratedinto a single chip or may be distributed on a plurality of chips. Theplurality of chips may be collected in one device or may be distributedin a plurality of devices.

Collecting the plurality of functions in the shopping assistance system100 in one housing is not an essential configuration for the shoppingassistance system 100. The components of the shopping assistance system100 may be distributed in a plurality of housings. Moreover, at leastsome functions of the shopping assistance system 100 may be realized by,for example, cloud (cloud computing) or the like. In contrast, in theabove-described embodiment, at least some of functions of the shoppingassistance system 100 distributed in a plurality of device may becollected in one housing.

Moreover, in the embodiment, the operation mode of the controller 12 isautomatically switched depending on whether or not the determinationcondition is satisfied, but this configuration should not be construedas limiting. The operation mode of the controller 12 may be manuallyswitched in response to, for example, an operation performed by a user.Moreover, it is not an essential configuration for the bagging system 1that the determination condition includes both that each of one or morepieces of item information is read by the special reading device 44 andthat the basket device 2 in which one or more items 8 have been put isnot placed in the bagging space 700 as described in the embodiment. Forexample, the determination condition may include only that each of theone or more pieces of item information is read by the special readingdevice 44 or may include conditions regarding respective sizes,respective weights, and the like of the one or more items 8.

Similarly, in the embodiment, the controller 12 performs the automaticbag determining process of automatically determining, based on theevaluation value, the type of the bag 10 adopted for the bagging, butthis configuration is not an essential configuration for the baggingsystem 1. For example, the controller 12 may automatically determine thetype of the bag 10 adopted for the bagging without referring to theevaluation value, or the types of bag 10 adopted for the bagging may bemanually switched by an operation by a user.

Moreover, in the embodiment, if the operation mode of the controller 12is the bagging-priority mode, the skip-bagging button B1 is displayed inthe display 421 of the user interface 42, but this configuration is notan essential configuration for the bagging system 1. For example, whenthe operation mode of the controller 12 is the bagging-priority mode,both the skip-bagging button B1 and the bagging button B2 may bedisplayed in the display 421. Similarly, when the operation mode of thecontroller 12 is the no-bagging-priority mode, both the skip-baggingbutton B1 and the bagging button B2 may be displayed in the display 421.

Switching between the types of bag 10 for the bagging is not limited tothe switching between the two types of bags 10A and 10B different fromeach other in size as in the embodiment. For example, a bag 10 to beadopted for the bagging may be selected from two types of bags 10 whichare different from each other, for example, in shape, color, material,indication, or a combination thereof with the size. For example, when abag 10 made of a heat-resistant material and a bag 10 made of a materialwhich is not heat-resistant are available, and if an item 8 as targetsto be bagged is an item 8 such as a packed lunch that requires heating(microwaving), the bag 10 which is heat resistant is selected as a bag10 for the bagging. Moreover, the number of types of bags 10 is notlimited to two, and a bag 10 for the bagging may be selected from threeor more types of bags 10.

Moreover, the basket device 2 is not limited to the configuration heldby a hand of a customer but may include a basket body 21 integratedwith, for example, a cart.

For example, the items 8 are not limited to including food and drinkssuch as PET-bottled beverage, canned beverage, paper-packed beverage,boxed confectionery, and bagged confectionery but may include articlesof daily use such as ball-point pens and other products. Switchingbetween performing and not performing the bagging and switching betweenthe types of bag 10 for the bagging may be performed in accordance withthe attribute (food and drinks, articles of daily use, or the like) ofthe items 8.

Moreover, the application of the bagging system 1 is not limited toapplication in convenience stores, but the bagging system 1 may beinstalled in stores other than convenience stores. Moreover, the baggingsystem 1 may be installed in facilities, such as factories, offices, anddelivery centers, other than stores.

Moreover, in the sales system 4, if a contract for the sales process isnot concluded, the bagging system 1 does not have to deliver the one ormore items 8 to the customer. For example, in a case where an item 8such as alcohol which is not allowed to be sold to an underage customer,or in a case where a customer cancels the purchase of one or more items8, the sales system 4 performs a purchase cancellation process. In thiscase, the one or more items 8 are not delivered to the customer but arereturned to the store.

Moreover, the bagging mechanism 3 is at least configured to put the oneor more items 8 into the bag 10 and may be configured to put (bag) theone or more items 8 into a bag 10 which is not limited to the shoppingbag as described above but which is, for example, a reusable shoppingbag, or a net bag.

Moreover, the shopping assistance system 100 does not have to be usedtogether with the sales system 4 which enables purchase of one or moreitems 8 without operation by a clerk as illustrated in the case of theembodiment. However, the shopping assistance system 100 may be used in asituation in which a clerk is at a checkout counter as in the case of aso-called manned checkout counter.

Moreover, the bag feeding device 13 may be configured to turn inside outthe bag 10 and then supply the bag 10 to the bagging mechanism 3. Inthis case, the bag 10 is turned inside out, is put on the baggingmechanism 3, and is then turned inside out again to store the one ormore items 8. Therefore, the initial outer surface of the bag 10 is theouter surface of the bag 10 in which the one or more items 8 are stored.Thus, when characters and like are printed on the bag 10, it is notnecessary to adopt bags 10 on which mirror printing has been performed.

Moreover, in the embodiment, the holder 312 of the bagging mechanism 3clips the bottom 102 of the bag 10 to hold the bottom 102, but thisconfiguration should not be construed as limiting. The holder 312 may beconfigured to hold the bottom 102 on the placement surface 311 throughsuction by, for example, a vacuum suction pad.

Moreover, in the embodiment, the driver 14 moves downward only thesupport 31 of the support 31 and the guide 32 to change the relativepositional relationship between the support 31 and the guide 32 from thefirst state to the second state, but this configuration should not beconstrued as limiting. That is, the bagging mechanism 3 has to at leastchange the relative positional relationship between the support 31 andthe guide 32 from the first state to the second state, and the baggingmechanism 3 may move both the support 31 and the guide 32 or only theguide 32.

(5) Summary

As described above, a bagging system (1) according to a first aspectincludes a bagging mechanism (3), a switching unit (11), and acontroller (12). The bagging mechanism (3) is configured to performbagging to put one or more items (8) placed in a bagging space (700)into a bag (10). The switching unit (11) is configured to switch betweenperforming and not performing the bagging and/or switch between types ofbag (10) for the bagging. The controller (12) is configured to controlthe switching unit (11).

According to this aspect, the controller (12) controls the switchingunit (11) to enable switching between performing and not performing thebagging and/or switching between the types of bag (10) for the bagging.The bagging system (1) switches between performing and not performingthe bagging in accordance with, for example, items (8), and it is thuspossible to bag only one or more items (8) that have to be bagged, andit is thus possible to adopt flexible processing as in a case where thebagging is performed by a person. Moreover, the bagging system (1)switches between the types of bag (10) for the bagging in accordancewith, for example, the items (8), and thereby, it is possible to performthe bagging by adopting a bag (10) having a size suitable to the size ofthe one or more items (8), and it is thus possible to adopt flexibleprocessing as in a case where the bagging is performed by a person.Thus, with the bagging system (1), the bagging is automated by thebagging mechanism (3), while it is possible to adopt flexible processingconcerning the bagging as in a case where the bagging is performed by aperson.

In a bagging system (1) according to a second aspect referring to thefirst aspect, the controller (12) is configured to control the switchingunit (11) based on actually measured data acquired from a detectiondevice (43). The detection device (43) is configured to output at leastone of an image or respective weights of the one or more items (8)located in the bagging space (700) as the actually measured data.

According to this aspect, switching between performing and notperforming the bagging and/or switching between the types of bag (10)for the bagging are/is performed based on at least one of the image orthe respective weights of the one or more items (8) located in thebagging space (700). Thus, it is possible to suitably switch betweenperforming and not performing the bagging, switching between the typesof bag (10) for the bagging, and the like in accordance with the one ormore items (8) as target to be bagged.

In a bagging system (1) according to a third aspect referring to thefirst or second aspect, the controller (12) is configured to control theswitching unit (11) based on respective item information on the one ormore items (8), the respective item information being acquired from aninformation reading device (201 or 44) configured to read the respectiveitem information from the one or more items (8).

According to this aspect, switching between performing and notperforming the bagging and/or switching between the types of bag (10)are/is performed based on the respective item information on the one ormore items (8). Thus, switching between performing and not performingthe bagging, switching between the types of bag (10) for the bagging, orthe like is appropriately performed in accordance with the one or moreitems (8) as targets to be bagged.

In the bagging system (1) according to a fourth aspect referring to thethird aspect, the controller (12) is configured to control the switchingunit (11) based on respective one or more sizes and weights of the oneor more items (8) obtained from the respective item information andrespective master data corresponding to the one or more items (8). Eachof the respective master data contains a size and a weight of acorresponding item (8).

According to this aspect, it is possible to switch between performingand not performing the bagging and/or switch between the types of bag(10) based on the respective sizes and the respective weights of the oneor more items (8) without actually measuring the respective sizes andthe respective weights of the one or more items (8).

In a bagging system (1) according to a fifth aspect referring to any oneof the first to fourth aspects, the switching unit (11) is configured toat least switch between performing and not performing the bagging. Thecontroller (12) has a no-bagging-priority mode as an operation mode. Theno-bagging-priority mode is an operation mode in which the bagging isnot performed when an operation section (422) does not receive a firstoperation by a user during an operation standby period, and the baggingis performed when the operation section (422) receives the firstoperation by the user during the operation standby period.

According to this aspect, in the no-bagging-priority mode, notperforming the bagging is the default while it is possible to leave apossibility of performing the bagging by the first operation by a user.

In a bagging system (1) according to a sixth aspect referring to thefifth aspect, the controller (12) further includes a bagging-prioritymode as an operation mode. The bagging-priority mode is an operationmode in which the bagging is performed when the operation section (422)does not receive a second operation by the user during the operationstandby period, and the bagging is not performed when the operationsection (422) receives the second operation by the user during theoperation standby period.

According to this aspect, in the bagging-priority mode, performing thebagging is the default, while it is possible to leave a possibility ofnot performing the bagging by the second operation by a user.

In a bagging system (1) according to a seventh aspect referring to thesixth aspect, the controller (12) is configured to perform control suchthat the operation mode is the no-bagging-priority mode when adetermination condition which is predetermined is satisfied. Thedetermination condition includes that a special reading device (44)configured to read respective item information on the one or more items(8) reads the respective item information from the one or more items (8)in the bagging space (700) or a reading space (701) adjacent to thebagging space (700).

According to this aspect, the operation mode of the controller (12) isautomatically switched based on the determination condition. Here, thedetermination condition includes that the special reading device (44)reads the item information. Therefore, when the special reading device(44) does not read the item information, the determination condition isnot satisfied, and the operation mode of the controller (12) does notbecome the no-bagging-priority mode.

In a bagging system (1) according to an eighth aspect referring to theseventh aspect, the bagging mechanism (3) is configured to, when abasket device (2) in which the one or more items (8) have been put in isplaced in the bagging space (700), transfer the one or more items (8) inthe basket device (2) into the bag (10) to perform the bagging. Thebasket device (2) allows the one or more items (8) to be put in. Thedetermination condition further includes that the basket device (2) inwhich the one or more items (8) have been put is not placed in thebagging space (700).

According to this aspect, the determination condition includes that thebasket device (2) in which the one or more items (8) have been put isnot placed in the bagging space (700). Thus, when the basket device (2)in which the one or more items (8) have been put is placed in thebagging space (700), the determination condition is not satisfied, andthe no-bagging-priority mode is not achieved. Thus, even when thespecial reading device (44) reads the respective item information, ifthe basket device (2) in which the one or more items (8) have been putis placed in the bagging space (700), the operation mode of thecontroller (12) does not become the no-bagging-priority mode.

A bagging system (1) according to a ninth aspect referring to any one ofthe first to eighth aspects further includes a bag feeding device (13)configured to feed the bag (10) to the bagging mechanism (3). Theswitching unit (11) is configured to change the bag (10) to be fed fromthe bag feeding device (13) to the bagging mechanism (3) to switchbetween the types of bag (10).

This aspect enables switching between the types of bag (10) to beperformed by a relatively simple mechanism configured to switch the bag(10) to be fed from the bag feeding device (13) to the bagging mechanism(3).

In a bagging system (1) according to a tenth aspect referring to any oneof the first to ninth aspects, the switching unit (11) is configured toat least switch between performing and not performing the bagging. Thecontroller (12) is configured to control the switching unit (11) suchthat the bagging is not performed when the one or more items (8) are notfit in the bag (10).

According to this aspect, for example, in a case where the number ofitems (8) is too large or in a case where the respective sizes of theone or more items (8) are too large, and the one or more items (8) arenot fit in the bag (10), it is possible to automatically stop thebagging.

In a bagging system (1) according to an eleventh aspect referring to anyone of the first to tenth aspects, the bagging mechanism (3) includes asupport (31) and a guide (32). The support (31) has a placement surface(311). The guide (32) is disposed around the support (31) along an outerperiphery of the placement surface (311). The bagging mechanism (3)changes a relative positional relationship between the support (31) andthe guide (32) from a first state to a second state in a state where theone or more items (8) are supported on a bottom (102) of the bag (10) onthe placement surface (311) to put the one or more items (8) into thebag (10). The location of the support (31) relative to the guide (32) inthe second state is at a lower level than in the first state.

According to this aspect, the bagging mechanism (3) is realizable as arelatively simple mechanism.

In a bagging system (1) according to a twelfth referring to the first toeleventh aspects, the controller (12) is configured to outputinstruction information to the switching unit (11) to control theswitching unit (11).

According to this aspect, the controller (12) is capable of controllingthe switching unit (11) even when the controller (12) is apart from theswitching unit (11).

In a bagging system (1) according to a thirteenth aspect referring toany one of the first to twelfth aspects, the bagging space (700) mayallow the items (8) to be placed in. The bagging mechanism (3) isconfigured to collectively put the items (8) placed in the bagging space(700) into the bag (10).

According to this aspect, it is possible to reduce a time required toput the items (8) individually into the bag (10), as compared to a casewhere the items (8) are put in the bag (10) one by one.

A shopping assistance system (100) according to a fourteenth aspectincludes the bagging system (1) according to any one of the first tothirteenth aspects and a sales system (4) configured to perform acheckout process of the one or more items (8).

According to this aspect, it is possible to switch between performingand not performing the bagging and/or switch between types of bag (10)for the bagging. The bagging system (1) switches between performing andnot performing the bagging in accordance with, for example, items (8),and thereby, it is possible to bag only one or more items (8) that haveto be bagged, and it is thus possible to adopt flexible processing as ina case where the bagging is performed by a person. Moreover, the baggingsystem (1) switches the types of bag (10) for the bagging in accordancewith, for example, items (8), and it is thus possible to perform thebagging by adopting a bag (10) having a size suitable to the size of theone or more items (8). Therefore, it is possible to adopt flexibleprocessing as in a case where the bagging is performed by a person.Thus, according to shopping assistance system (100), the bagging isautomated by the bagging mechanism (3), while it is possible to adoptflexible processing concerning the bagging as in a case where thebagging is performed by a person.

A control method of a bagging system according to a fifteenth aspect isa control method of a bagging system including a bagging mechanism (3).The bagging mechanism (3) is configured to perform bagging to put one ormore items (8) placed in a bagging space (700) into a bag (10). Thecontrol method includes switching between performing and not performingthe bagging and/or switching between types of bag (10) for the bagging.

According to this aspect, the switching process enables switchingbetween performing and not performing the bagging and/or switchingbetween the types of bag (10) for the bagging. Switching betweenperforming and not performing the bagging is performed in accordancewith, for example, items (8), and thereby, it is possible to bag onlyone or more items (8) that have to be bagged, and it is thus possible toadopt flexible processing as in a case where the bagging is performed bya person. Moreover, switching between the types of bag (10) for thebagging is performed, in accordance with, for example, items (8), and itis thus possible to perform the bagging by adopting a bag (10) having asize suitable to the size of the items (8). Therefore, it is possible toadopt flexible processing as in a case where the bagging is performed bya person. Thus, according to the control method of the bagging system,the bagging is automated by the bagging mechanism (3), while it ispossible to adopt flexible processing concerning the bagging as in acase where the bagging is performed by a person.

A non-transitory storage medium according to a sixteenth aspect is anon-transitory storage medium in which a program is stored. The programcauses a computer system to execute the control method of the baggingsystem according to the fifteenth aspect.

With this aspect, the switching process enables switching betweenperforming and not performing the bagging and/or switching between thetypes of bag (10) for the bagging. Switching between performing and notperforming the bagging is performed in accordance with, for example,items (8), and it is thus possible to bag only one or more items (8)that have to be bagged. Therefore, it is possible to adopt flexibleprocessing as in a case where the bagging is performed by a person.Moreover, switching between the types of bag (10) for the bagging isperformed, in accordance with, for example, items (8), and it is thuspossible to perform the bagging by adopting a bag (10) having a sizesuitable to the size of the one or more items (8). Therefore, it ispossible to adopt flexible processing as in a case where the bagging isperformed by a person. Thus, according to the program, the bagging isautomated by the bagging mechanism (3) while it is possible to adoptflexible processing concerning the bagging as in a case where thebagging is performed by a person.

The aspect should not be construed as limiting, but various aspects(including variations) of the bagging system (1) according to a firstembodiment may be embodied in a control method and a program of thebagging system.

The configurations according to the second to thirteenth aspects are notconfigurations essential for the bagging system (1) and may accordinglybe omitted.

1. A bagging system, comprising: a bagging mechanism configured toperform bagging to put one or more items placed in a bagging space intoa bag; a switching unit configured to switch between performing and notperforming the bagging, and/or switch between types of bag for thebagging; and a controller configured to control the switching unit. 2.The bagging system according to claim 1, wherein the controller isconfigured to control the switching unit based on actually measured dataacquired from a detection device configured to output at least one of animage or respective weights of the one or more items located in thebagging space as the actually measured data.
 3. The bagging systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to controlthe switching unit based on respective item information on the one ormore items, the respective item information being acquired from aninformation reading device configured to read the respective iteminformation from the one or more items.
 4. The bagging system accordingto claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to control theswitching unit based on respective one or more sizes and weights of theone or more items obtained from the respective item information andrespective master data corresponding to the one or more items, each ofthe respective master data containing a size and a weight of acorresponding item.
 5. The bagging system according to claim 1, whereinthe switching unit is configured to at least switch between performingand not performing the bagging, and the controller has ano-bagging-priority mode as an operation mode, and in theno-bagging-priority mode, the bagging is not performed when an operationsection does not receive a first operation by a user during an operationstandby period, and the bagging is performed when the operation sectionreceives the first operation by the user during the operation standbyperiod.
 6. The bagging system according to claim 5, wherein thecontroller further includes a bagging-priority mode as the operationmode, and in the bagging-priority mode, the bagging is performed whenthe operation section does not receive a second operation by the userduring the operation standby period, and the bagging is not performedwhen the operation section receives the second operation by the userduring the operation standby period.
 7. The bagging system according toclaim 6, wherein the controller is configured to perform control suchthat the operation mode is the no-bagging-priority mode when adetermination condition which is predetermined is satisfied, and thedetermination condition includes that a specific reading deviceconfigured to read respective item information on the one or more itemsreads the respective item information from the one or more items in thebagging space or a reading space adjacent to the bagging space.
 8. Thebagging system according to claim 7, wherein the bagging mechanism isconfigured to, when a basket device in which the one or more items havebeen put is placed in the bagging space, transfer the one or more itemsin the basket device into the bag to perform the bagging, and thedetermination condition further includes that the basket device in whichthe one or more items have been put is not placed in the bagging space.9. The bagging system according to claim 1, further comprising a bagfeeding device configured to feed the bag to the bagging mechanism,wherein the switching unit is configured to change the bag to be fedfrom the bag feeding device to the bagging mechanism to switch betweenthe types of bag.
 10. A bagging system according to claim 1, wherein theswitching unit is configured to at least switch between performing andnot performing the bagging, and the controller is configured to controlthe switching unit such that the bagging is not performed when the oneor more items are not fit in the bag.
 11. The bagging system accordingto claim 1, wherein the bagging mechanism includes a support having aplacement surface and a guide disposed around the support along an outerperiphery of the placement surface, and the bagging mechanism changes arelative positional relationship between the support and the guide froma first state to a second state in a state where the one or more itemsare supported on a bottom of the bag on the placement surface to put theone or more items into the bag, a location of the support relative tothe guide in the second state being at a lower level than in the firststate.
 12. The bagging system according to claim 1, wherein thecontroller is configured to output instruction information to theswitching unit to control the switching unit.
 13. The bagging systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the bagging space allows the items to beplaced in, and the bagging mechanism is configured to collectively putthe items placed in the bagging space into the bag.
 14. A shoppingassistance system, comprising: the bagging system according to claim 1;and a sales system configured to perform a checkout process of the oneor more items.
 15. A control method of a bagging system including abagging mechanism configured to perform bagging to put one or more itemsplaced in a bagging space into a bag, the control method comprising:switching between performing and not performing the bagging; and/orswitching between types of bag for the bagging.
 16. A non-transitorystorage medium in which a program is stored, the program causing acomputer system to execute the control method of the bagging systemaccording to claim
 15. 17. The bagging system according to claim 2wherein the controller is configured to control the switching unit basedon respective item information on the one or more items acquired from aninformation reading device configured to read the respective iteminformation from the one or more items.
 18. The bagging system accordingto claim 2 wherein the switching unit is configured to at least switchbetween performing and not performing the bagging, the controller has ano-bagging-priority mode as an operation mode, and in theno-bagging-priority mode, the bagging is not performed when an operationsection does not receive a first operation by a user during an operationstandby period, and the bagging is performed when the operation sectionreceives the first operation by the user during the operation standbyperiod.
 19. The bagging system according to claim 3 wherein theswitching unit is configured to at least switch between performing andnot performing the bagging, the controller has a no-bagging-prioritymode as an operation mode, and in the no-bagging-priority mode, thebagging is not performed when an operation section does not receive afirst operation by a user during an operation standby period, and thebagging is performed when the operation section receives the firstoperation by the user during the operation standby period.
 20. Thebagging system according to claim 2, further comprising a bag feedingdevice configured to feed the bag to the bagging mechanism, wherein theswitching unit is configured to change the bag to be fed from the bagfeeding device to the bagging mechanism to switch between the types ofbag.